Nathan Payne

Achhhhh! I’m not entirely sure what to write about Nathan Payne. At 35, per ageist prejudice, he’s past his marketable prime. Nathan likes Mexican food and was born on Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. He drives a cab, performs in coffeehouses and other venues, and attempts to sell his outpourings for a living, which tempts me to spout, “Call it performance art. Blast your songs from a loudspeaker on the roof! Pile cartons of CDs in the backseat, threatening to avalanche the unwary passenger…”

The problem is, I said I’d write this profile. Also: Some things about Nathan beg not only attention but consideration. That consideration doesn’t lead to an easy summation. The man’s a shape-shifter; one of a sub-species that a musicologist might liken to Harmonica (outcast, wanderer, possible charlatan) Frank.

Until 2005-’06, Payne’s Nourish movements (living in his car and roach-ridden L.A. flophouses, then roaming the red, white and blue landscape) would have made it easier to paint this picture: A disturbed, highly intelligent personality, who without a creative outlet might have been a serial killer. That image was underscored by the languorous, murky Black Dahlia video starring Nathan and his song of that name.

But the shape has kept shifting. Shrieks and barks emanating from the bathetic mayhem of active addiction have shifted into transmissions with more humor, maturity and even finesse, regularly veined with socio-political carping. A few years ago, Payne shed a few more drops of sweat into the L.A. smog before driving to Austin and parking his trailer on the outskirts. He then went on tour, slammed out two albums in Arkansas in 11 days, and repaired to Texas, after which he recorded the two-disc Slow-Burning Fun.

The shape’s still an uneasy cross of realism with abstract expressionism. Following mood and/or subject, Payne sound and production utilize various American roots styles. And then there’s Payne-as-rocker. In Los Angeles, with a band (Nathan Payne Memorial Service), he accelerated from threatening to acidic, at best a not-for-the-weak-of-psyche mix of Jim Morrison, Nick Cave and Sonic Youth (California Death Trip’s “I Don’t Want,” “A Man Called Horse”). At times Payne even enters Lux Interiorville. Yet more confounding is his assortment of voices. To the psychotic howler you can add the straightforward folkie, a descendent of Country Joe MacDonald, Phil Ochs, and Tom Paxton that also recalls satirist Tom Lehrer. This voice is sometimes punctuated by country rasps and yelps. Then there’s the noir monotone delivering line after line of venom. There’s a demonic sneer that pops up, sometimes mixed with one of the other voices (“Princess of No Return,” SBF).

His work, to date, is uneven. Unless we want to unconditionally applaud his maverick freedom, Payne could use some self-editing. But just when I get sick of mining for gold, splendor raises its head. Right now, with “Sleeping Sea #3” (SBF) on, it’s hard to concentrate as he vehemently mouths, “What will become/of the sparkling spoon?/How long will we scrape our knuckles/across the surface of a chuckling moon?” At such moments I feel Payne’s work is an epic prose-poem or autobiography set to music, and that the spoken word arena awaits his arrival.

I’m not sure his time was well spent on the breakneck recording of Vampire Cats (one of the Arkansas recordings), which has lots of rockabilly and fast country songs crying for a well-honed band. But there’s also some shimmering cabaret (“One Last Kiss”), a mood then disrupted by country yodeling, a few dull tracks, and an abrasive knee-slapper, “Telephone.” After that, “Ghost inside a Girl” unveils a sound I hadn’t heard or noticed – a light, ingenious melody glimmering through a hodge-podge of acoustic influences. Annoying! Now I can’t just dismiss Cats by suggesting it would echo better in a rundown roadhouse.

Three albums are more cohesive: the offensively titled Blinded by Faggots (at one point he explained the name on one of his Myspaces), American Infidel, and All The Diamonds You Can Eat (which was caught by a broken four-track on dollar-store cassettes). Payne opens ATD with the beer bottle clink-punctuated, “A Beautiful Place.”

Next is a folk song, “California Hills,” which Fred Kiko of KXLU called his “favorite song about California ever” and which secured guest spots on Kiko’s “Demolisten.” To me this is Payne at his least interesting – the song reeks with (albeit sometimes appropriate) clichés about Southern California. While “California Hills” is a fairly innocuous example, some of his socio-religio-political hammering makes me want to throw eggs at the soapbox – not only have I heard a lot of the same cultural expression through at least three grassroots movements, I tend to resonate with less heavy-handed strategies.

Diamonds really hits its stride with “Dark Side of the Dog,” which combines Payne’s off-the-cuff poetic observations with a compelling riff and good phrasing. Then there’s a sleeper junkie classic, “Happiness is Mine.” It’s not just the anthemic chorus: “We’re on drugs because/the flies go/buzz buzz buzz/an’ love covers over everything,” or great throwaways: “Wake up shakin’ /in a lake of naked girls. With the vampiric cachet of Weill/Brecht’s “Alabama Song,” “Happiness” would go well with Nick Cave’s take on “Mack the Knife” (September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill).

The next three tracks are good, and the muted beauty of “Peace & Contentment Blues” is better.

Payne’s a bitch to profile. But once the door was kicked open by a song on his Myspace I haven’t been able to close it. “Sin on Wheels,” with its bare-boned cowboy lope, has often been on my playlist there, holding its own next to Link Wray and Television. And there’s a tale being told, one that raises questions: Is the singer the narrator or the protagonist? Did he murder a woman, or is he on the lam with her… or another one…?

“…and now her tongue is turnin’ purple
her face is turnin’ white
somebody give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
don’t be so impolite!”

“The cops are right behind us
so try to stay awake
keep your foot up on that trigger
keep yer finger on the brake
take me off to the asylum
while I’m still good enough to go
I’m outta my mind
but don’t let anybody know”

While Payne’s music and production have been uneven, his abundant thoughts are fashioned into consistently fresh lyrics that often ring as blood-and-dirt true as Edward Hopper’s diner paintings (not the doctored ones, like Santa perched at the counter with a bunch of elves)—well, maybe: Payne can break into absurdity, or just silliness, after a stream of darkness. On “Someone to Taste” (SBF,) he mouths, straight-faced: “So pass me the tissues if your love is true/I got chased by a police officer with abandonment issues” (which is surrounded by a mix of funhouse laughter and dry-heave wheezing).

Edward Hopper's Nighthawks at the Diner

A few more elements make his work compelling. One is Payne’s hate-hate (he wants to love it, but there are PROBLEMS, detailed in many songs) relationship with contemporary America. Another is his consideration of the road, along with the twilight tales he’s  experienced, albeit at times through a hind-sighted bird’s eye. Re: seeing a purpose in the underbelly (I could cite Jung but would probably drown), I’ll let this poem speak – I wrote it after the remodeling of Times Square and Las Vegas:

Disney Satanist

It was time to come out of the closet.
He kept wearing his Mickey Mouse watch
with the rodent upside down,
had started pulling a Goofy T-shirt
over his head
so the dog could only be seen
from behind.

Worst of all
was the way he played an old 45 of
“It’s a Small World” backwards
until it said he should kill the producers
of Beauty and the Beast
and the Herbie remake
along with bombing the revamped Times Square
and infecting Las Vegas
with the original neon, greasy burgers, and hustlers.

People didn’t realize how much he threatened
the upstanding, family-friendly everything:
Who notices an upside-down Mickey Mouse watch?
Who has the time?

The All The Diamonds cover

Then there are the psychodramas weaving through his stories. In “Dirty Magazine” (SBF) a man has locked his woman in the bathroom, she’s locked him in, or they’re taking turns. Payne repeatedly gets under the skin of couples who grow so enmeshed, they forget how much they hate capitalism or Republicans and start tearing each other apart. I’m generally riveted by well-drawn interpersonal dynamics.

From SBF’s “Tragic Neurons”:

“My baby she’s the bitchinest
most delicious exhibitionist
to put her tragic neurons on display
leanin’ on the fender
in all her psychotic splendor
if you ain’t nice to her she’ll never go away”

Payne’s wife Alyssa has started adding vocals to his songs. The grit of their “Dirty Magazine” duet approaches Exene with John Doe circa The Knitters.

I wouldn’t listen to his words if the music weren’t generally good-to-very good, with flashes of brilliance. Happily, with SBF Payne is getting better at mixing the more listenable with the more challenging. Sure, I shot the stereo a few dirty looks as Payne ranted for nine-plus minutes on “Licking the Fist that Feeds.” With the more exhausting or below-par material shortened or deleted, SBF could have been an independent singer-songwriter best-of-’09 contender.

Among Payne’s prolific output (8-9 CDs and an EP), there are at least 25 exemplary tracks (I haven’t heard one album, Angels on Fire). Here are some suggestions (keeping in mind that album progression can yield a different experience):

All The Diamonds You Can Eat: A Beautiful Place, Happiness Is Mine, Peace & Contentment Blues

Slow- Burning Fun: Cheshire Moon, Don’t Say Please, Someone to Taste, Bleeding Heart, If Hell is a Party (I’m the hors d’oeuvres), Dirty Magazine, Drive You into the Sea, A Crime in Progress, Love Will Save Me, The Princess of No Return, Sleeping Sea #3

California Death Trip: Don’t Wake Me Up, I Don’t Want, A Man Called Horse, All I Want

Blinded by Faggots: Mulholland Love Song, Damaged Goods, My Ass Is Hooked on Dynamite, Telepathic Proposal, Too Much, Too Soon, Baby Don’t Cry

American Infidel: My Girlfriend Hates My Guts, Taco Truck Waltz, Neon Signs, Sunny Day, Love in a Room

No Destination (3-song EP): $6 Tux – hell, just buy the EP – the spoken word/sound track is interesting

Sideburns in the Sun: (upcoming, for Sin on Wheels and to see what else he throws on)

ALCOHOLIC CLOWN RECORDS

Graphic by Jim Terry

My enquiry about an Alcoholic Clown named The Slow Poisoner was promptly answered by a large mailer, the front of which was covered by a cartoonlike drawing of a swamp. Out of the swamp rises a torso wearing a Little Lord Fauntleroy-type jacket and string tie and, in place of a head, a large hand with an eyeball in the middle. On the back of the mailer are rubber stampings of skulls and bones. This reminds me of the mail art I used to exchange and of all the cool stuff passing through postal workers’ hands back when underground actually meant underground (record labels, Wiccans, artists, insurgents). I remember, on some dreary days, giggling all the way back from the mailbox. These are very, very good things.

The Slow Poisoner does other good things. There’s lots of roots-of… riffing, recalling Buddy Holly and seminal rockabilly. There’s lots of guitar reverb and a pretty varied assortment of songs about things that matter, and that don’t get enough coverage, like how people really originated at the bottom of a muddy river, and that the “Wood Full O’ Witches” can mean all kinds of odd occurrences, and lusting after a “Swamp Gal.” “The Shriek!” features at least three blood-curdling screams. The SP evens warns us, to galloping gospel, about the “Thundering Fists of the Lord.” This strikes me as rather open-minded of Payne, who helms the label with fellow A.C., Brad Hahn. Payne seems serious about Christianity, and if he supports free expression, that’s what I think of as real Christianity – or, for that matter, any spiritual tradition. It’s a thought.

I even like the feel of TSP’s Magic Casket CD cover – a smooth, shiny digipak with his irresistible, Halloweeny graphix. The only problem is his location, San Francisco – he seems so So. Cal. – and there’s already enough wonder and creativity by the Bay. Also, I might not like his CD so much if he hadn’t had the sense to keep it at 11 three-minutes-or-less tracks. His website is like his CD art squared – link’s at the bottom of this installment.

This is Payne’s label statement: “Alcoholic Clown Records was founded in Austin, Texas in 2007 to serve as a means of financial, recording, & tour support for artists who we like. Unless they suck.” Besides Payne, there are five A.C.s, most of whom seem to embody different Payne facets.

Making TSP seem like a televangelist’s guest star is a duo called Juggernut, whose CD has been “on the way” for some time. I’ve just checked out some of their videos and tracks – but that was enough – so much, in fact, that, well – sometimes a video’s worth many words:

Another thing that sold me on these Dada chuckleheads (Why, oh why did I leave NYC and the gonzo stuff that only seems to happen there, or San Francisco, or Budapest? Why didn’t I join the Neoists?) — another thing is that they have a track called “A Woman’s Ass,” which includes these pronouncements: “A woman’s ass… will make you buy a beer… and forget your beer… and leave your beer at the bar next to your friend… that’s your fucking beer!” “A woman’s ass… is a dump truck of love… a mosh pit of flowers..” “A woman’s ass… is a crack house on fire…your grandma’s face on fucking fire!” … and on, into anarchistic epiphanies.

It seems to me that there are far too few odes to women’s asses by non-Africans. The sound? Seems to be mostly samples and other prerecorded instrumentation, with live rhythm box and vocals. Some of the less aggressive tracks sound like Suicide, or Soft Cell if it had not been gay, and had gone mad. When Juggernut rocks, it’s acidic and hits the spot. The CD’s called Down But Nut Out.

After an abrupt hairpin turn we’re at Matt Pless, who’s firmly entrenched in the populist neighborhood re-annexed in the ‘50s-‘60s to “singer-songwriter/folk” by Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, among others. While I lean toward more exciting (to me) or intricate tones (British Isles/Celtic, French, Rom gypsy, Hungarian), with Pless’s latest, Alarm Clock Time Bomb, I did less fast-forwarding than expected to see if the songs would diverge from predictable progressions. Several do, as well as benefiting from fairly sophisticated arrangements and collaborative energy (cello, bass, dobro, drums, and lead guitar). The repetitive form supporting social commentary on “White Picket Fences” is surrounded with enough spice to earn Pless a tenuous perch in the new generation of musical protesters.

At best, Pless is retracing the trajectory of folk-rockers like the Byrds (“Boomerang,” “When the Helmets Hit the Ground”) or, in a reverse trajectory, Jorma Kaukonen with Hot Tuna (opener “The Flowers in the Furnace”). Despite a tendency to lean toward Weezer/Pavement on his more straightforward pop, Pless abandons any hope of coolness by holding forth on subjects rarely mentioned by below-‘30s, like prevalent cyber activity. You’d think the Dylan-rippin’ “Talkin’ Information Blues” was by a senior citizen.

We’ve arrived at the last two Clowns, Andrew Scandal and Brad Hahn. My assessments are based on online tracks and an A.C. sampler. Andrew Scandal has high, precious vocals, sometimes adopts a chunky, acoustic Jason Mraz/Bushwalla form, and I guess also has a Coldplay sound –whatever it is, it makes me want to slap him. I could see “Heart Attacks” or “License Plate Eyes” on the Gossip Girl soundtrack. Other than being friends with Payne, and his Myspace statement, re: liking “Jim Beam, arguments, and chocolate,” I don’t get how Scandal rolls with the other A.C.’s.

Straddled atop the Clown car is Brad Hahn, whose folk or folk-rock resists easy branding. When he leans toward Gordon Lightfoot/Neil Diamond (“Partly Cloudy”), I wonder if he should have studied accounting. When I hear some Marshall Crenshaw in the Lightfoot (“Imaginary Strings”), I want to encourage him to keep working on his songwriting. When his “Gold Rush” brings to mind the manic freedom of the Holy Modal Rounders, I want to know if he’s available. And when he unexpectedly amalgamates John Doe with Jesse Colin Young and the unlikely lyrics to “I Wish We Were All Punk Rockers,” I want to see what Hahn would do with Young’s “Sunlight,” as well as hoping he’s seeking psychiatric attention. I’ve come up with songs like that and  they didn’t make it beyond my practice room — a Franken-song occasionally works, but some elements can’t be palatably meshed. Since he has thrown caution to the wind, or is insane, I will call him a genius, suggest back-up singers, and leave a wide berth.

Payne once asked me if Alcoholic Clown was in fact an “independent,” or a label at all. I assured him that what’s he’s doing – putting out and promoting CDs by a few artists he wants to support (and, based on the bundle I received, hastily making copies when needed; the titles often hand-scribbled on the discs), along with letting label-mates follow their production muses – well, that this is the essence of “Indie.” Given Payne’s gravity re: issues of Capitalism, human rights, and so forth, he may have been testing me with the question. Which gives me some assurance that the term “merch” will never be associated with A.C. Wheeeee! Or, from the main A.C. page, “Click on the album covers below to order the discs directly from the artists! (unfortunately, Juggernut’s cover was deleted by Myspace because it’s a drawing of a giant testicle with arms & legs and they think it’s offensive.We disagreeeeeeeee!”

“Disney Satanist,” by Mary Leary, was previously published in Gypsy 3
All the A.C.s can be found on the label’s Myspace.

Nathan Payne: www.myspace.com/nathanpayne
Alcoholic Clown: www.myspace.com/alcoholicclownrecords
The Slow Poisoner: www.theslowpoisoner.com
Juggernut: www.thndrbox.com/juggernut.html, www.myspace.com/juggernutnyc

5 Finger Death Punch, Shadows Fall, Otep, Throwdown, 2 Cents @ House of Blues

Carlton Livingston, Lady Ann, Carl Meeks @ Ruby Room

Ozomatli @ Belly Up Tavern

Saturday, January 23rd

The Strikers, The Chop Tops, Black Sheep Reunion, Embalmers @ O’Connell’s

Anti-Flag, Aiden, Cancer Bats, Fireworks @ SOMA

Sudden Infant, R. Jencks, Riververb, 60’s Residue, Author & Punisher

Sunday, January 24th

The Stanley Clark Band @ Belly Up Tavern

Black Lips, Slab City, Nobunny @ Casbah

Melodic Destruction @ Ruby Room

Monday, January 25th

The David Landon Band @ Humphrey’s Backstage

Jemina Pearl, Mermaid, the Little Viking @ Casbah

Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ U31

Tuesday, January 26th

Parachute/Safetysuit @ UCSD

Mission: Valley, Dead Ghosts, Gravitorium, DJ Serbian @ Casbah

Ignacio Berroa Quartet @ Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

Wednesday, January 27th

The Used @ House of Blues

Extinct Animals, Neon Cough, the Duke Wants Me Dead @ Ruby Room

Secret Seven, Social Studies, Longstay, Writer @ Beauty Bar

The Visual Underground Feat- Crash Encore, Republic of Letters, Dj Edgartronic @ Casbah

Abe Vigoda, Best Coast, Zola Jesus, Dj’s Mario, Chuck and Brandon W @ Soda Bar

Sonic Youth, Sic Alps @ House of Blues

Friday, January 8th

The Fascination, Vinyl Film, Bella Novela, The RnRs @ Radio Room

Pato Banton w/ Now Generation @ Belly Up Tavern

The Western Set, Dark Horse Candidates, Taming the Fox @ Tin Can Ale House

Saturday, January 9th

Monsters Form Mars, Lights On, Dj Cris Herrera @ Onyx/Thin

Pete Escovedo Orchestra @ Anthology

Nautical Disaster, Death on Mars, Behind the wagon @ Soda Bar

Sunday, January 10th

Boom Snap, Westfire, Hargo @ Beauty Bar

The Devastators @ RT’s Longboard Grill

Tribe of Kings @ U31

Monday, January 11th

Alberta Cross, Hacienda @ Casbah

Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ U31

The Styletones @ Bar Pink

Tuesday, January 12th

Minipax, Carney, Stripes and Lines @ Casbah

Lindsay White @ Bare Back Grill

Clean Cuts @ Tower Bar

Wednesday, January 13th

Holdsworth, Bozzio, Levin, and Mastelotto w/ Science Fiction @ Brick by Brick

Mia Riddle, The Useless Keys, Longstay Residency @ Beauty Bar

Drew Andrews, Boomsnake, Writer, Metrofique @ Casbah

Whisky Girl, Downtown (Photo from jjwright85 via Flickr)

Wednesday, December 23rd

Dj’s C Wzard and Red October @ Bluefoot

Dj’s Bart Blackstone, ATARI, El Torito, and Smile Now Cry Later @ Casbah

Michael Tiernan @ El Fuego Cantina

Thursday, December 24th

Feel the Noise w/ Djs Gabe Vega and Saul Q @ U31

Friday, Decmeber 25th

Dj Riddles, Adamnt, Rudy Palos as “Bad Santa @ The Whistle Stop

DJ Artistic @ Wit’s End

Dj Mark Trasher @ Whiskey Girl

Saturday, December 26th

Scarlet Symphony, Fing, Lemon Sun, Da Bears @ Casbah

Wild Child @ Anthology

Cash’d Out, Hell On Heels, Tornado Magnet @ Belly Up

Sunday, December 27th

Hepcat @ Belly Up

Children of Nova, Italian Japanese, WestFire, Trouble in the Wind @ Casbah

The Devastators @ RT’s Longboard Grill

Monday, December 28th

Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ U31

The Styletones @ Bar Pink

Tuesday, December 29th

John Mayer Trio @ Copley Symphony Hall

Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven @ Belly Up

Burnett’s Bliss, Erika Davies @ Soda Bar

Skinny Puppy @ House of Blues

The Nervous Wreckords, Apes of Wrath, Maystar, Mata Leon @ Casbah

CSUSM Indonesian Gamelan Ensemble @ CSUSM

Thursday, December 10th

Skee-Lo @ Ramona Mainstage

Intransitaudio and Guava Belly @ the Office

Northern Towns and Prosthetic Arms @ Ruby Room

Friday, December 11th

Adrenaline Holiday Party @ Casbah

Stepping Feet @ Anthology

Saturday, December  12th

John Meeks, Leslie and the Badgers, River City, Paulo @ Soda Bar

Tower of Power @ Viejas

Fearless in Fairweather and Self Made Men @ Pete’s Place

Sunday, December 13th

Rise Against

91x Wrex the Halls- AFI, Rise Against, 30 Seconds to Mars, Anberlin, Paper Tongues @ Viejas

Average White Band @ Belly Up

Monday, December  14th

Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ U31

The Styletones @ Bar Pink

Tuesday, December 15th

Read a Book

Thurday, November 12

Friday, November 13

• Hot Rod Lincoln @ Mainstage
• Elijah Emmanuel and the Revalations @ Belly Up
• Team Abraham @ Bar Pink

Saturday, November 14

• Anni Rossi, Headlights, and Pomegranates @ Soda Bar
• Rootsicali and Tribal Seeds @ Worldbeat Cultural Center
• Flobots @ Soma

Sunday, November 15

• GWAR, Job for a Cowboy, the Red Chord @ House of Blues
• Divine Heresy, Gigian, One Theory, and Under the Stone @ Brick by Brick
• Julian & Stephen Marley @ Worldbeat Cultural Center

Monday, November 16

• Pinback, Bellini, Nothingful @ Casbah
• Styletones @ Bar Pink
• Loch Lomond & Horse Feathers @ Loft La Jolla

Photo from Mild Mannered Photographer via Flickr

Tuesday, November 17

• They Might Be Giants @ Belly Up
• Tape Deck Mountain (LP Release), Writer, and the Fling @ Soda Bar
• The Hidden Cameras, Gentlemen Reg @ Casbah

Drop Kick Murphys photo via Wikimedia

Thursday, November 5th

• The Dropkick Murphys @ Soma

• Visions of a Dying World, Or the Whale, and Gray Ghosts @ Casbah

• Nico Vega, and the Bloodflowers @ Bar Pink

Friday, November 6th

• Moviegoers, and Silverleaf @ Soda Bar

• Thunderhands @ Saigon on 5th

• Tranfer,  and Mostly Bears @ Beauty Bar

Saturday, November 7th

• So Long Davey, Plane Without A Pilot, and Hide the Details @ Soma

• Saba And Bill Cardinal @ Java Joe’s at Cafe Libertalia

• Cage the Elephant @ 4th & B

Sunday, November 8th

• Kim Phuc, Whorio Goes to Clown School @ Soda Bar

• Burnt, David Ornelas, Roots Covenant @ Ruby Room

• The Devastators @ RT’s Longboard Grill

Monday, Novemebr 9th

• Lights On, and Swim Party @ Casbah

• Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ U31

• The Styletones @ Bar Pink

Tuesday, November 10th

• Yellow Fever, Heavy Hawaii, Nude Boy, and Jungle Fever @ Soda Bar

• Vulgarity, and SweetTooth @ Brick by Brick

• Electric Six, The Gay Blades, Millions of Brazilians @ Casbah

Remember the music video for “Nightmare on My Street” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince? Probably not because New Line Cinema sued them for copyright infringement. The Prince of Bel-Air has long since retired his florescent clothes and high tops, but “Nightmare on My Street” will live on in the hearts of trick or treaters for years to come… or at least their parents.

So if your having a Halloween party this year, and your iPod lacks the necessary tunes, here’s a list of the best Halloween-esque songs. Go steal them. *San Diego Entertainer does not condone the unlawful detention of copyrighted material.*

• “The Monster Mash”- Bobby “Boris” Pickett

• “Nightmare On My Street”- DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

• “Thriller”- Michael Jackson

• “Dead Man’s Party”- Oingo Boingo

• “Psycho Prelude”- Bernard Herrmann

• “Funeral March”- Chopin

• “Theme from X-Files”- Dust Brothers

• “The Martian Hop”- The Ran Dells

• “Twilight Zone Theme”- Marius Constant

• “Tubular Bells Pt. 1 (Theme from ‘The Exorcist)”- Mike Oldfield

• “Ghost Town”- Specials
• “Keepin’ Halloween Alive” – Alice Cooper

• “Psycho Killer”- Talking Heads

• “Hell”- Squirrel Nut Zippers

• “Boris the Spider”- The Who

• “Ghostbusters”- Ray Parker Jr.

• “People Are Strange”- the Doors

• “I Put a Spell On You”- Animals

• “Don’t Fear the Reaper”- Blue Oyster Cult

Wednesday- 10/7

• The Silent Comedy, Janu, and the Whale Sharks @ Loft La Jolla

• Steve Poltz & the Cynics @ Belly Up

• Children of Nova, Misc. Ailments, La Dispute, and Microtia (Oregon) @ Radio Room

• Echo Revolution, Wizard Wolves, and Skyhigh Karma @ Soda Bar

Thursday- 10/8

• Swim Party, Roxy Jones, and This Is Not My Life @ Casbah

• Groundation @ Belly Up

• 321 Stereo, Self Preservation, and Moxy Bullets @ Canes

Friday- 10/9

• Endoxi, Nova, and Tori Rose @ Anthology

• Marianne Dissard w/ Andrew Collberg @ Bar Pink

• Pearl Jam, Ben Harper @ Viejas

Saturday- 10/10

• Ray at Night (art, music) @ Ray Street, North Park

• Led Zepagain (Zepelin Tribute), Roudabout (Yes Tribute), and Caress of Steel ( Rush Tribute) @ Pala

• Lee Coulter, Fing, Westfire, and Stealing Love Jones @ House of Blues

Sunday- 10/11

• Mute Math @ House of Blues

• Voodoo Organist @ O’Connell’s

• These Arms Are Snakes, dd/mm/yyyy, and Fever Sleeves @ Casbah

Monday- 10/12

• Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ U31

• Styletones @ Bar Pink

Tuesday- 10/13

• The Streets, Nosaj Thing, and Hey Clamp @ Belly Up

• Mojomatics (Italy), Jail, and Pipsqeek @ Soda Bar

• The Black Dahlia Murder, Toxic Holocaust, Trap Them

Wednesday- 10/14

• Burning of Rome, Saything @ Soda Bar

• 91x Loudspeaker show- The Gift/Curse, Misdelphia, and The Surrender @ U31

Kim- Glad you were able to find us! We just got here and we’ve spent the last hour trying to find the press tent.

Matt- It’s just too hot out there, so we just came back to the bus.

Paul- Ha, I feel your pain. It is pretty miserable out there.

Kim- Well, we left New York in the horrible heat so…I don’t know, I just wasn’t expecting it here.

Paul- How many stops did you make on your way out here?

Kim- four.

Matt- Umm… Columbus, St. Louis, Norman, L.A. and here.

Paul-You just performed on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, how was that?

Kim- Nerve racking.

Matt- You know…there was no perfection that happened but everyone made it through

Matt & Kim put on an electric live show (Provided by 'Gussifer' via Flickr)

alive, there was no casualties.

Kim- I was actually surprised. The day after that show I stayed away from the internet because I didn’t want to see what people were saying, but I started peaking around today and it seemed like everyone really liked it. I don’t know why but there was a lot of focus on my sneakers.

Paul- Was that your debut late night appearance?

Matt- The first of many, hopefully.

Paul- How many more stops do you have after San Diego?

Kim- Thirty (Kim replied with the same unknowing inflection)

Matt- A bunch! We’ll be on the road for about another month. Then we’ll be home for a month, and then we go to Europe for a month and a half. This will be the first Thanksgiving that I won’t get to spend with my family. That’s the one holiday that we really focus on, but my folks get it.

Kim- Have you told your parents yet?

Matt- Yeah, my mom saw my tour schedule before I did, so she kind of told me.

Paul- You don’t really get much of a break until December?

Kim- We never do… we always say that we want to spend as much time at home as we do on the road. Things keep coming up and the time at home just keeps getting cut, and you’re like, ok, so we’re home for a week. We probably shouldn’t even buy groceries because they will just end up going bad.

Matt- Theoretically, if we were letting it all go we’d be back in Australia right at the beginning of January. It’s the beginning of their summer and that’s when they want us to come back, but we just can’t do it.

Kim- He says that now, but watch, in 2 months you’re going to see those dates up on our site.

Paul- How long have you been consistently touring like this?

Matt- Almost 4 years.

Kim- We’re on the road about 9 months out of the year.

Paul- What have been some of your more memorable shows?

Kim- Last night was awesome! We were in L.A. at the El Rey; it was a really good show. I think that part of it was that I was so nervous for the Kimmel Show, that when I got to the El Ray, I was like, I can do this.

Matt- This is my home! This is how I do it! Its places like Norman, Oklahoma on a Monday night, where cool things happen that you really wouldn’t expect. When I was in a band in high school I thought that if just one person knew my lyrics, it would just blow my mind, never mind having thousands singing and dancing along. I don’t take any of that for granted.

Paul- How old are you?

Matt- 27.

Kim- 28.

Paul- I read that you guys didn’t start playing your respective instruments until…

Matt- We started the band.

Kim- About five years ago.

Matt- Still learning!

Paul- How was it writing like that?

Matt- Well, when Kim and I would write a song, we’d write and then have to learn how to play it. So it would take us so long to learn a song. It’s not just trying to remember the parts; it’s trying to get good enough to play the parts. However, being that naive in the writing process kind of allows you to be original and do things the way you’ve been trained. I have two keyboards. I play one like a bass and one like a guitar (playing an air piano with two fingers)… you just do with what you know.

Kim- And I just bang.

Matt- Please take that out of context. That should be a big line, I just bang!

Paul- What have been some of your worst shows?

Matt- We played a show in Toronto, and normally Kim is kind of known for showing her big smile a lot when we play. I didn’t see her look up once during that show. She played the whole show with her head down trying not to vomit. She was so sick and this place was so hot, it was obviously torture.

Kim- Yeah, but then I drank a shit-ton of Pepto Bismol and Budweiser and I was much better.

Matt- Yeah, we’re going to create a new product called Pepto Bisweiser.

Paul- When you recorded your newest album “Grand”, you took the do-it-yourself route, what lead you down  that path, and how’d you end up doing it in your childhood bedroom?

Matt- It was cheap! I thought about back in the day, the high school punk rock bands that I was in that recorded in that room and how chill that situation was. Compared to recording our first album; which we did at a studio in L.A. where we didn’t have much money, we didn’t get to try many of the things we wanted to. All we got was the basics. We wanted the opposite experience. We wanted to be able to do whatever the fuck we wanted. When it came down to it, we had more than enough rope to hang ourselves with. It took us nine months to record that as opposed to our first album, which took nine days.

Kim- Also we were touring a lot during that time. So we’d get off the road for a couple of days and scramble into the studio and try to get as much done as we could.

Matt- While, ultimately, we got what we wanted, I do not foresee doing it that way again. We did learn a lot about ourselves and what Matt & Kim are all about.

Paul- What advice do you have for bands that will be trying to take the DIY approach?

Kim- Give yourself more time than you think you’re going to need.

Matt- Everything takes time, and when you start playing shows, just play five songs a show. Nobody wants to hear a band that they don’t know play for an hour-and- a- half. Leave them wanting more.

Paul- Thank you both so much for your time and best of luck with the rest of your stops!

Kim- Thanks sdentertainer.com

Matt- See you again soon, San Diego.

Children of Nova (Provided via MySpace)

With our eyes and ears on the community we see a niche that needs a stance. San Diego needs an unbiased approach to local entertainment, specifically music. This leads us to the upcoming launch of the San Diego Entertainer official Local Music Alliance.

For artists and bands that don’t get the attention they deserve, for songs that will blow your mind, for the newest in sounds of San Diego. The Entertainer’s Local Music Alliance will encompass several exciting features to bring the music to the people.

Starting next Monday September 7th the Entertainer’s Local Music Alliance play list Vol.1 will be available for free secure download in our music section.  The Alliance will feature roughly 20 tracks of some of the top music in local rock, alternative, folk, hip-hop, reggae and everything in between. The rule of the play list is simple, your record needs that just-right, perfect feeling.

We want the exemplary artists and bands in San Diego to know that the Entertainer feels your pain on your path to success. With it becoming more difficult to get heard it is vital that there’s a means for the highest quality and unique sounds to be exposed. Your new ability to reach out to interesting San Diegan’s is our alliance to you, and all you have to do is keep pumping out the tunes to the community.

We feel that our readership can benefit by hearing great new records, because as you know it doesn’t take the hottest studio in L.A, or the hippest MTV trend to make a great song. We know that great beautiful music is being made just minutes away right here in the heart of our city, contrary to the main stream ideal of good music.

After you download the play list onto your computer, we encourage you to spend time to check out the songs on your I-Pod, or burn a CD as gifts for friends. The bands involved are all for this anti-piracy effort.

In order to maximize the Alliance’s potential we’ve also incorporated a friendly competition sparing ‘Battle of the Bands’.

You may have heard some of the tracks which will be on the play list before at the local venues, or by adding a band on MySpace – but which artists are your favorite on the play list? Who is bringing it all to the table representing San Diego?

A voting system will be available in the local music section to cast your vote for your favorite artist or song from the Local Music Alliance play list Vol.1. You can also leave comments in support of a band, or your honest feedback on what you’re hearing.

And we urge you to be involved with the Entertainer! You are able to leave comments on any article on the website. The content you leave behind enhances the article itself, and the expressions you make will be heard by others.

Quick Entertainer tip: Put a face to your editorial input by getting a Gravatar. A Gravatar is a picture that links to the e-mail you enter for your comments then automatically

Endoxi is on the rise (Provided via MySpace)

shows your picture on the site. Many great sites other than the Entertainer use the Gravatar service, so it gives you that ever important authorship credibility or cred for you hipsters, around the web.

Bringing music to the people through the San Diego Music Alliance is more than just a great new bunch of songs you got for free. It’s the news you need to stay up to date on the latest and greatest from San Diego. Exclusive interviews and show coverage will be included in the music section along with even more top secret grandiose plans for the future.

So you don’t miss out on the news, we’ll also make sure that our local artist events calendar spotlights the must see shows!

San Diegan’s, if there is a band we should know about please send us a message here so we can check them out. We really care what our readers have to say, and that is why we give you so many ways to interact. So shamelessly I will say, “don’t forget to tell us what you think.”

After twenty-one years in San Diego, the Jeff & Jer program had its last “Showgram” yesterday on Star 94.1 FM.

The Clear Channel-owned station went into contract negotiations earlier this summer, but the two sides were never able to reach an agreement. Much of the discord surrounded the demand that the “family” (Laura, Tommy, Randy, Delana, Emily) stay together — something Clear Channel was reportedly unwilling to honor.

Coincidentally (or not), the folks over at 100.7 Jack FM have said they will have a “Major Announcement” to come on August 31. Some involved with radio in the market, including those at sdradio.net, have speculated that the Jef & Jer Showgram could be moving over to Jack at that time, yet nothing has been confirmed as of today.

That same day, the new morning show at Star 94.1 — “A.J. in the Morning” — is scheduled to commence. AJ Machado is currently heading the AJ’s Playhouse morning show over at Channel 93.3, but will move the show over to 94.1 at the end of the month.

In a statement from Clear Channel to sdradio.net, they indicated they are ready to move forward sans discussion about the particulars of Jeff & Jer’s departure:

“We are excited about the future of Star 94.1 with AJ Machado in the morning slot. Despite extensive contract negotiations, the Jeff and Jer Morning Show has concluded its tenure at Star 94.1. After four years at Star, today was their final show on the station. We are proud of their contributions to Star and grateful for their commitment to the success of the station.

Jeff & Jer indicted via a statement on their website that they will indeed be back on the air soon, helping to fuel the Jack FM speculation:

“We sure miss you [listeners]! We’ll be back on the air soon! We’ll tell you when and where in a couple of days.

San Diego is our home. Jeff and I and Tommy have been here for 21 years along with Laura and Randy and Delana and Emily and you guys — and we’re all family! We’ll post information here everyday. You can e-mail us at littletommy@jeffandjer.com. We’d love to hear from you. We also have brand new facebook and twitter pages.

We’ll be back on the air soon. As always, thanks so much for listening and being a part of our family.

So fear not fans of the Showgram. It sounds like Jeff & Jer will be back before we know it. Good luck to team on their transition, in additon to AJ Machado and his new gig at Star 94.1!

Green Day plays Viejas Arena tonight (Photo from 'daniel f. piggato' via Flikr)

Green Day, Franz Ferdinand @ Viejas Arena
Undercover: Ghostland Observatory, DJ Lord @ The Birch North Park Theatre
Jay Reatard @ M-Theory Music (7pm)
Cody Chesnutt, Martin Luther Steph Johnson Band @ Belly Up

Katherine Ramirez, Endoxi, The Eric Macek Band @ Anthology
As Tall As Lions, Lanterns and The Color Of Glass @ Casbah
Nobody Wave, Pretend, Damn Those Crickets Are Loud @ 6180 Dalhart Ave (All Ages)
Pensive, Allen Mautner @ The Gap (UTC)
The Mar Dels @ Georges on Fifth
Club Caboose, DJ Trail-Mix-A-Lot @ Whistle Stop
Astra Kelly, Parker Theory, Dinosaur Party, Shane the Drummer, Lauren Silva @ Lifeswork Entertainment Awards (Lyceum Theatre)
Agua Dulce @ Winston’s
Soul Persuaders @ Humphrey’s Backstage Live
Live Zion, The New Dayze, Pallor of Ash, TBA @ Brick By Brick
Chad Cavanaugh, EJP, Happy Ron, Kathryn Ostenberg @ Lestat’s
Southtown Generals, Dedicated Minds, Ottly Mercer @ Canes
Sic Waiting, Save Amos, Black Sails Western Shores @ Radio Room
Expressway To Yr Skull @ Soda Bar
SQZMYLMNS feat. DJs Saul Q & Disc O @ Bar Pink
Lights On, Tan Sister Radio @ Beauty Bar
Tea Leaf Green @ Wavehouse
Panda @ House of Blues

East coast rappers Jedi Mind Tricks hit Cane's tonight (from 'ahbanach' via Flikr)

Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit, The Romany Rye and guests @ Casbah
Jedi Mind Tricks, MC Esoteric, The Armada, Bound By Honor @ Canes
Al Qaeda (Gabe Serbian, Mike Watt, Rob Crow), Droughter, Diamond Sleeper, Alien Soundtracks @ Che Cafe

Secret Show! Headliner Announced Night of Event @ Ruby Room
Nathen Maxwell (Flogging Molly) In-store @ Lou’s Records (5pm)
Nathen Maxwell (Flogging Molly) @ Hensley’s Flying Elephant Pub & Grill
The Cult “Love” Live, Living Things @ House of Blues
Cafe Moliendo, 3rd Borough, Jefferson Jay and Chris Zach @ Belly Up
West Coast Funk Konnection, Bonafide Players, Zamore Band @ 4th & B
Jetwash, The Bluegrass Brothers Boys Band @ Winston’s
Abigail, Clare Means, Jeff Clay @ Lestat’s
Devon Allman & Honey Tribe @ Humphrey’s Backstage Live
Charles McPherson @ Anthology
Jack Tempchin @ Birch Aquarium (Green Flash Concert Series)
Agua Dulce w/ Earful Funk Band @ U-31
DJs Trevor Young & Charlie Rock @ Bar Pink
Nobody Wave, Pretend, Volts, Lanterns @ Radio Room
Fiery I, Young Reef, Axis, Anti Citizens, Fifty Fathms, Apathy @ Beauty Bar
Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals, Polar Bear Club, Fireworks, Drive A @ Soma

Tracy Chapman plays Humphrey's tonight (photo from 'jurvetson' via Flikr)

Tracy Chapman with special guest Gaby Moreno @ Humphreys
Monsters From Mars, Florence, La Scene Enterre @ Tin Can Ale House
Reggae Tuesdays – Get Your Dub On, Dub Traffik Control DJs @ Belly Up

The Secret Seven, The Lonely H, Charles Musket @ Casbah
Christmas Island, Fergus & Geronimo, Teenage Cool Kids @ Soda Bar
Exotiki @ Bar Pink
Anthology House Band @ Anthology
Clipse, The Cool Kids, Dom Kennedy, Vokab Kompany @ Canes
Natural Incense, Stone Senses, Irieside @ The Stage Saloon
The Buzzbombs @ Whiskey Girl
Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Sugar Wall @ Winston’s
Chanaux, Misc. Ailments, Unruin, Damaged Dolls @ O’Connell’s
Too Cool For Karaoke: Woodstock 40th Anniversary @ Ruby Room
Pressure Drop with Jeff Graves, Skarina @ Radio Room
Anna Troy @ Humphrey’s Backstage Live
Eclipse 79, Still Ill @ Beauty Bar

From 'mswebersd' via Flikr

Anti-Monday League presents When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Batwings, Fever Sleeves @ Casbah
D12, Potluck, and Mob Nasty @ Belly Up

Pamela Jean @ Hennessey’s Carlsbad
Electric Waste Band, Drunk Poets Society @ Winston’s
Doug Allen @ Kraken
Chet Cannon’s Blue Monday Blues Party @ Humphrey’s Backstage Live
Astra Kelly, Tori Roze, Buried Under Carrots @ Dublin Square
Prima Donna, The Boats!, The Pranks, The Glossiness @ Radio Room
Lady Dottie and The Diamonds @ U-31
The Styletones @ Bar Pink
Mkng Frndz, Partyline, Shebeast @ Soda Bar
The Tighten Ups @ Ruby Room

Provided by 'Paulo Dourado' via Flickr

Vans Warped Tour is set to rock San Diego this weekend at the Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. Bands from around the country and the world will adorn the stage at the event.  With bands from indie rock, pop-punk,  screamo, hardcore, electronic, and ska/punk, Warped Tour’s arrival in San Diego will undoubtedly be heard.

Over 65 bands are set to play at the event this Saturday at Cricket. The thousands in attendance at the event are going to be rocking out all day to some of their favorite bands, and musicians in the mainstream music scene. Becoming one of the most anticipated events Vans Warped Tour is a must see for any scenester, or music enthusiast in San Diego.

San Diego is one of the last stops for the nationwide tour, and the bands always save the best for last. With bands such as Alexisonfire, Saosin (San Diego’s own), NOFX, Less Than Jake, and much much more, Warped Tour is hitting San Diego hard. Stages will be set up all around Cricket in order to guarantee play time for all the bands on the list. Parking and other accommodations will be provided for the event by Cricket, but by the way this one is looking is you need to get there early, or take public transportation to the event to get in without a lengthy wait.

Warped Tour has always been a staple in  San Diego summer events. Running for over 15 years now, Kevin Lyman’s dream has become a reality. Bringing new and innovative music to the masses, the stop for Warped Tour in San Diego this year is one that is a must see.  So if you get a chance buy the ticket, and take the proverbial ride that is Warped Tour.

Wayne Coyne & the Flaming Lips play Del Mar tomorrow (photo from 'freschwill' via Flikr)

The Foot Print In Hip Hop Tour (Feat. Method Man, Redman, Ghostface Killah, Duo Live) @ Canes (FRIDAY)
The Flaming Lips @ Del Mar Race Track Infield (SATURDAY)
Burt Bacharach @ Summer Pops, Embarcadero (SUNDAY)

FRIDAY

America, The Riders @ Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay
Vincent Gallo & Sean Lennon, The Ghost Of A Saber Toothed Tiger @ Anthology (7:30 pm early show)
The Classical Mystery Tour @ Summer Pops, Embarcadero
Pussywhipped, Mike XVX, Suedehead, Knives! @ Che Cafe
Revival, Organix, Campechana, Cualli @ 710 Beach Club
Creative Medicine, The Jason Chase Trio, Hargo @ Winston’s
The Gaslamp Killer, Austin Speed, CRMNL, DJ Edgartronic @ Brick By Brick
Noches Rockeras @ House of Blues
Annie Bethancourt, Barrett Johnson @ Lestat’s
The Mar Dels @ Belly Up (5:30 pm Happy Hour show)
Feel The Noise w/ DJ Gabe Vega, Saul Q and special guest DJ’s @ U-31
Children Of Nova, The Material, The Silent Comedy, Misc. Ailments (CD release), Trains And Clouds, The All Wait @ Soma
Faux Punk (Daft Punk Tribute) @ Belly Up
Repeater, Lemon Sun @ Bar Pink
The Muffs, Lovemakers, Revenge Club @ Casbah
River City @ Soda Bar
The Beautiful View, The Drabs, Human Record, The Notice @ Radio Room

See the rest of this weekend’s shows after the jump:

SATURDAY

Los Lonely Boys & Los Lobos @ Viejas Concerts in the Park
Fan Halen, Monsters of Rock @ House of Blues
Sight & Sound (Feat. The Donkeys, Dynamite Walls, Gregory Page, This Is Manic and more) @ Planet Rooth Gallery
High on Fire, Earthless, Early Man @ Casbah
Marcus Garvey Arts & Cultural Festival @ 4th & B
The Yellowjackets @ Anthology (early & late shows)
Japanese Motors, Apes of Wrath, Gestapo Khazi @ Soda Bar
Erick Macek, The Pheromones, Pullman Standard @ 710 Beach Club
Aaron Bowen, Billy Harvey, Brodeeva @ Lestat’s
Have A Cigar (Pink Floyd Cover Band) @ Surf n’ Saddle
Katchafire @ Canes
Neon Beat w/ DJ Junior & Atari @ Bar Pink
Faraway Boys, The Red Devil Squadron, French Kiss Koma @ Radio Room
Medford Falling, Halos, Faintly Macabre, Fusse, The Authors Notes, The Spill, Elora @ Soma
Dark Globe, Gloom Cookies @ Ken Club
VEGA (Live) Memo RX True Pseudo Colour Vision @ U-31
Nut/Crackers, Jamuel Saxon, Koalacaust, Joyce Manor @ Che Cafe
Suicide Girls Party (Feat. Mike Pinto and The Mashers, Social Green, Rice Rockit) @ Winston’s

SUNDAY

Pissed Jeans, Rats Eyes, Bumbklaat @ Casbah
Sol E Mar & Friends (Brazilian Night) @ Belly Up
Down, Melvins, Weedeater, Danava @ House of Blues
Schmaltz @ Bar Pink
Desert Heir, Random Orbits @ Radio Room
Too Many Creeps feat Mario O and friends @ Whistle Stop
Reggae Sundays High Tide@ Canes
DJ’s Jestor, Peril Dash Eye, Unite and Rashi @ U-31
Dubstep, Cloak and Dagger, Jason, and more @ Ruby Room
Gregory Page @ Ken Club

Woodstock poster (From 'dbking' via Flikr)

Forty years ago, the tiny farm town of Bethel became the second largest city in the state of New York. Planners for the 1969 festival (that almost didn’t happen) said they expected 50,000 people to show up, but what they ended up getting were hundreds of thousands for a three-day music festival that became a staple event for a generation.

And on this 40th anniversary weekend, the film Taking Woodstock (Ang Lee) is being released nationwide. The film follows the life of Elliot Tiber, the permit-holder for the festival and one of the key organizers of the event.

But you don’t just have to head to the theatre to get those flashbacks … ahem, memories … to come flooding back. All you have to do is head to La Mesa tomorrow, where there will be the “Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Musical Tribute to Woodstock.”

The event takes places at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center and will go from noon to 6 pm.

Students from the Paul Green School of Rock Music will be on hand to perform covers of some of the 1969 event’s best acts — including Janis Joplin, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jimmy Hendrix, among others.

There will also be performances from the West Coast Touring All-Stars and the Kroc Kids Junior Theatre Company, in addition to arts, crafts, a raffle and food.

Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund at the Paul Green School of Rock Music.

Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Musical Tribute to Woodstock
Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
6845 University Avenue
La Mesa
619.287.5762
www.kroccenter.org
www.schoolofrock.com

Photo from 'fabbio' via Flikr

Depeche Mode, who are scheduled to play Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre tonight with opening act Peter, Bjorn and John, were forced to cancel the show due to orders from the band’s doctor that lead singer Dave Gahan get more rest for his vocals.

Unfortunately for local fans, the band also indicated via their website that there will not be a re-scheduled show for San Diego — as the band cannot fit it into their busy schedule.

“We are incredibly disappointed to not be able to perform for our fans tonight in San Diego,” said Dave Gahan. “We hope to be back soon to play for all our fans in the area.”

Of course, this is something that happens to San Diego and not L.A., as the band plans on putting on their sold out two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend as scheduled. But, if its any consolation, their show earlier this week at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View was also canceled.

Fans can get refunds for tickets at the point of purchase.

Jackson Browne rocks Humphrey's tonight (from 'cifo aka big cif' via Flikr)

Jackson Browne @ Humphreys
Toby Keith, Trace Adkins @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Hotel St. George (CD release party), Swim Party, Writer, Intricate Machines @ Casbah

Dr. John James Cotton “Superharp” Band @ Belly Up
Talk Like June, The Riders @ Anthology
Pushin Rope, High Tide, Grandview, Sick Life, Chasing Claymores, Hershel Abram, The Get Down @ Canes
SQZMYLMNS feat. DJs Saul Q & Disc O @ Bar Pink
LMFAO with Far East Movement & Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds @ House Of Blues
Toquali @ Onyx Room (see interview w/ band here)
DJ Tim Tech, DJ Carlo Crush, DJ Ricker @ Beauty Bar
The Mar Dels @ Georges on Fifth
Alright Class, Mia Valentine, Drew Andrews, DJs @ Whistle Stop
DPI, Wanted Dead, Nuclear Tomorrow @ Winston’s
Johnny Shoebox Records (CD release), Lisa Olson, Rob Deez @ Lestat’s
Stealing Love Jones @ Ruby Room
Expressway To Yr Skull @ Soda Bar
Duel of the Century, Phantom Ratio, Lazy Cobra @ Radio Room

Well, I’m glad to see that Wavves ain’t goin’ anywhere. Sure, the dude had a meltdown and then broke his wrist skateboarding, not to mention that he seems to be making some of the most divisive music out there right now. But, come what may, Nathan Williams keeps droppin’ tunes. On top of the killer demo he posted to his blog last month (the oddly Animal Collective-like “Mickey Mouse”), Williams put up another new track early this morning.

Even better, “Cool Jumper” is the first song from his sessions with the drum maniac that is Zach Hill (of Hella) to reach your ears. Some have gone on to speculate that Hill is now a full-time member of Wavves. While that remains to be confirmed, from the sound of this filthy little gem that would certainly be a welcome turn of events. Peep the gritty, “woo-hoo!”-laden onslaught down below.

Also, be sure to catch Wavves at Street Scene on Friday, August 28th. More info available here.

Download: Wavves – Cool Jumper

Download: Wavves – Mickey Mouse

Buy: You can pick up Wavves’ two full-lengths from Woodsist and Fat Possum, respectively.

Artwork by David McHank

After two EPs, Yippee!!! and Hundreds and Thousands, locals Hotel St. George just had to go and accidentally make an LP. Thanks to the extra time waiting for the studio to open up, the band went ahead and wrote a few more songs, and the result is the forthcoming (and most excellent) City Boy Lemon.

The first and most noticeable characteristic of Hotel St. George’s music is undoubtedly the distinctive vocals of Matt Binder. His grandiose inflection hints at Bowie or Davies while a dramatic, frantic delivery recalls the tamer moments of Spencer Krug, but the effect is all his own. Add the talents next to him — drummer Simon Leader, bassist Erik Visnyak and guitarist Brian Riley — and you’ve got one of the most undeniably fun and exciting pop records to come out of San Diego in a very, very long time.

City Boy Lemon benefits from the true collaborative atmosphere of its four parts, whether by the sonic ode to insomnia, “All Those Dancing Stars,” or serotonin-fueled “Island Man,” there’s no formula to follow, no rhyme or reason; just simply solid tunes for the masses to consume and enjoy.

To celebrate the long-awaited release of City Boy Lemon, the recent SDMA nominees will be gracing the stage of the Casbah tonight, joined by fellow San Diegans and friends, Writer and Swim Party, as well as Los Angeles collective Intricate Machines. 500 limited edition screen-printed copies of gorgeous vinyl (I’ve already got mine) will be there waiting, artwork hand drawn by David McHank. The show is five bucks and contributions will go towards the “Get Hotel St. George to New York for CMJ Fund.” So head out to Kettner and Laurel this evening and support local music.

For more on Hotel St. George, stay tuned for Monday’s forthcoming feature story.

This year, promoters have managed to secure another solid lineup, but as in any recession, there are your share of fans reluctant to fork over the cash for tickets — which are running at $65 for a one-day pass and $122 for a two-day pass. When you add in the fees and taxes, it can certainly become a drag on your wallet.

In this recession economy, the summer concert season has taken a hit. Some promoters have been perfectly okay with seeing more empty seats at venues than usual. Others, like LiveNation have taken steps to lower prices via discounts and two-for-one offers.

The folks at Street Scene also have a recession-busting trick up their sleeve. For Thursday, August 13th (today) and Friday, August 14th you can purchase your single and two day tickets without paying any service fees. Yes, you heard right — no additional service fees if you purchase your tickets prior to this weekend!

So if you’ve been lazy like me and failed to pick up a ticket, today should be your day to do it. And if you’re really good at procrastination, you can wait till tomorrow.

Street Scene happens August 28 and 29 in the Tailgate lot near PETCO Park and surrounding streets in the East Village. Headlining bands include the Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Cake, Conor Oberst, M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, the Dead Weather and the Silversun Pickups.

Dickey Betts plays the Belly Up tonight (photo from 'andrea barsanti' via Flikr)

Dickey Betts & Great Southern Grizzly Circus @ Belly Up
Northern Towns, Brandy Alexander Band, Sunday Times, Braains @ Casbah
Marasol, XRay Press, Witt, Hurts to Laugh @ Soda Bar

Peach Cake, Jamuel Saxon, The Crush w/ DJ Skullcrusher @ Beauty Bar
Screaming Females, Shellshag @ Bar Pink
Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk with Eric Krasno & Chapter 2 @ House of Blues
The Grass Heat, Desert Diamonds, & The Citizen Band @ U-31
The Amalgamated-light, 2000 Tons of TNT, DJ Barnesey @ Radio Room
The Buster Williams Quartet @ Anthology
Revol Concept, La Derieia, Dead Record, Ottly Mercer, Los Incontentibles Del Amor @ Canes
Larry McCray @ Humphrey’s Backstage Live
Ishmael & The Peacemakers, Stone Senses @ Winston’s
The Akademix, the Concrete Project @ 710 Beach Club